Fall has arrived here in Germany and with it being now my 7th year back, I appreciate it for what it has to offer. But I honestly have to say that my heart is with the Canadian fall and I miss it dearly.
Just as the rhythm of nature changes with the seasons, so does our inner rhythm. Wouldn’t you agree? With the temperatures shifting, so do our habits and often we ease into them without thinking about them twice, simply because our inner clock gives us the signals.
When we move to another place all of a sudden our inner rhythm is off. We cannot do or get what connects us to a particular season and we feel all tangled up. Perhaps all of a sudden it is hot, when you are used to it getting colder and colder. Or people look strangely at you when you start drinking your pumpkin spice latte and get excited about sweater weather.
You see, each season will give you a set of memories that perhaps were created through a particular set of rituals which are seated deeply within your psyche. They give you a sense of familiarity through your sense of smell, music, cooking and traditions. Often these traditions are what makes us feel at home and connected to others.
When I lived in Germany I loved spring … It made me so happy to see the flowers come up, to finally say good bye to endless days of grayness. After a few years of living in Canada my favorite season changed to fall. Now I miss the colors of the leaves, the abundance at the local market, the ritual of canning and getting ready for winter. The list goes on … the sheer variety of pumpkins, the Indian summer sunshine and the sound of the Canadian Geese flying South.
So what to do with all the rituals that we love and want to share with others, but live in a place where they have no meaning or are belittled? This is a question that is not answered so easily and is a process that takes time.
Now that I live in Germany again and I carry both the excitement for the fall season in me, I allow the love I had for spring to come up again. I freely celebrate my love for pumpkins and right after christmas I will begin planning for spring by starting my plants inside. I will also juggle when Germans complain about the long and cold winter and remember what a -35 C windchill feels like.
With love & clarity, Ariane